Debates of Oct. 25th, 2012

Retiring Senator

[Wai Young, Conservative, Vancouver South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a great Canadian, a former member of this place and, next week, a former member of the upper chamber. I am, of course, speaking of the hon. Gerry St. Germain, a senator of British Columbia.

A native son of Manitoba, he was first elected to the House in 1983 and re-elected in 1984. A former pilot of the Royal Canadian Air Force, the senator was the first Métis to be appointed to cabinet and served as the minister of state for transport and as minister of forestry. Since 1993, Senator St. Germain has been a strong voice for all Canadians on some of the most important issues facing our great country.

In addition to his work in Ottawa, he has been a champion for British Columbia. His wise counsel and great vision have been sought by prominent leaders for close to 30 years. I shall miss him and I know the people of British Columbia will miss his leadership and advocacy here in the halls of Parliament.

I ask that all members join me and the people of Vancouver South in wishing the senator, his wife Margaret and their family all the best in the years ahead.

Government Services in Laval

[José Nunez-Melo, NDP, Laval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to rise here today and make this statement to once again defend the interests of the people of Laval, because the federal government simply does not know how to manage services.

Over the past three weeks, my beloved riding has received a great deal of attention because of frustrating developments in several areas, in both the private and public sectors, and at the municipal, provincial and federal levels, although the federal level is what concerns us here.

Visa applicants are being put on hold, unemployed workers are waiting for decisions that take too long, children's benefits are being calculated incorrectly, and so on. The government is restricting access to assistance programs for organizations that really need them, including those that help seniors. I call on this government to properly serve the people of Laval.

New Democratic Party of Canada

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, trade has long been a powerful engine for Canada's economy. In fact, one in five Canadian jobs depends on it. Sadly, the NDP continues to use every opportunity to stand in the way of our government's efforts to open up new markets for our exporters. Just yesterday, the member for British Columbia Southern Interior wrote in an op-ed that trade agreements “threaten the very existence of our nation”. New Democrats are opposing the very agreement that will protect Canadian investors in China from discriminatory practices, a reciprocal agreement that will support the creation of jobs and economic growth here at home.

Many of the major employers in my riding depend on trade. Time and time again, the NDP says not to leave anyone behind and yet it continues to support policies that would put people in my riding out of work. That is wrong.

Vanessa Leonard

[Jean Rousseau, NDP, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, MPs have a lot of work to do in their ridings, but it is very rewarding work when we acknowledge deserving constituents.

An example of that was the warm welcome I received at Lennoxville's Alexander Galt Regional High School where I presented a Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal. The recipient was 13-year old Vanessa Leonard, who has spent hundreds of hours volunteering in her community. Despite her young age, Vanessa feels a strong devotion and caring for members of her region. I was proud to recognize her efforts.

That meeting touched me deeply, as the students' energy and commitment to their community was tangible. We owe it to young Canadians across the nation to show them support and recognition for their successes and instill in them the love, hope and optimism that they can make a difference.

Young people take to heart our words and our actions, and we must be a source of inspiration and pride for them. It is up to us, as members of Canada's Parliament, to work together to create a better world, and to give them love, hope and optimism.

New Democratic Party of Canada

[LaVar Payne, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a new report from the NDP-run Broadbent Institute endorses the NDP leader's call for a $21 billion carbon tax. Specifically, the report notes that, “a carbon tax and higher taxes on natural resources — need to be considered”.

It is not surprising that the Broadbent Institute is coming to the defence of the NDP leader. After all, this is the same institute that the NDP tried to illegally smuggle funds to last summer.

The NDP can commission all the reports it wants. On this side of the House, we know that Canadians cannot afford the NDP leader's $21 billion carbon tax. Canadians will not stand for it and neither will we.

We also know the member for Churchill supports this $21 billion tax grab on the backs of Canadians, which would raise the price of groceries, gas, electricity and many more consumer goods.

Autism

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked an important day for all people who are affected by autism. The House of Commons fast-tracked and passed Liberal Senator Jim Munson's, Bill S-206, An Act respecting World Autism Awareness Day, with the support of all parties.

This is an historic moment. October is Autism Awareness month in our country and there can be no better time for Parliament to pass Bill S-206. Now each and every April 2 will be recognized officially as World Autism Awareness Day in Canada.

I hope families affected by autism will see this gesture as a reminder that they have not been forgotten. We still have much to do, but the passing of a bill demonstrates that Canadian lawmakers care about autism and autism awareness.

I congratulate my colleague Senator Jim Munson for his tireless advocacy of this issue and for the efforts he has put into ensuring that autism gets the attention it needs in Canada.

New Democratic Party of Canada

[Robert Sopuck, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend my family and many of my constituents will prepare for the Halloween festivities. Canadians will head to their local farms and pick up pumpkins, to the grocery stores for candy and to the shopping centres for costumes. It is a spooky time of year, but always a fun time of year, one that many Canadians thoroughly enjoy.

Unfortunately, it can also be a costly time of year, which is why my family and constituents are thankful for the lower taxes our government has brought in since coming into office. That is why they would absolutely not want to see higher prices on these items because of the NDP's proposed carbon tax.

The NDP leader claims that his sneaky carbon tax scheme would bring in billions of dollars from Canadian taxpayers and fails to mention that it would also raise the price on everything we love about Halloween: the pumpkins, the candy and the costumes.

Why does the NDP want Canadian families to pay more for the things they love at this time of year?

Member for Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière

[François Lapointe, NDP, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on October 16, we invited our colleague from Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière to tell us more about his lovely riding.

Since then, he has made two statements in the House and then fallen silent. Yet, there was much to talk about: a fantastic year for the Saint-Agapit rodeo, which attracted more than 4,000 spectators; Annie-Claude Lambert and Myriam Croteau, two young women from Saint-Apollinaire, who successfully completed the Roses des sables rally; and Tourism Chaudière-Appalaches, which is also active in my riding and was awarded the bronze Azimut prize at the Journées annuelles de l'accueil touristique.

The member could not be bothered to highlight the important contributions that his constituents made to their riding. Instead, he chose to repeat the fabrications handed to him by the PMO. The people of Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière deserve more than a puppet who serves the Prime Minister; they deserve an MP who is proud of his riding and of what is happening there. The people in his riding now know that, in 2015, they can count on the NDP for that.

Etobicoke Centre

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today the Supreme Court of Canada held that former Liberal MP, Borys Wrzesnewskyj, asked the court to “disqualify the votes of several Canadian citizens”. The Supreme Court went on to rule that it rejected the Liberal's attempt to “disenfranchise entitled voters and so undermine public confidence in the electoral process”.

I agree with the Supreme Court's decision to reject the Liberal's attempts to disenfranchise 52,000 voters in Etobicoke.

The Conservative member for Etobicoke Centre will continue to work hard to represent his constituents and to implement our government's economic action plan to create jobs, growth and long term prosperity.

Today, inspired by the Supreme Court of Canada upholding the results of a free, fair and democratic election, the member for Etobicoke Centre will depart for Ukraine to better ensure that the people's right to cast a democratic ballot is also protected from those who would seek to disenfranchise them.

Pensions

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives are clearly feeling the heat over the Prime Minister's decision to cut old age security pensions. Earlier this week at finance committee hearings, a Conservative member attacked the largest seniors' organization in the country as a partisan front group.

CARP is not to blame for the backlash Conservatives are getting from seniors. The Prime Minister is to blame. Does the Prime Minister agree with his member's attack on Canada's largest seniors' organization?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as I have noted before, this government has planned to gradually eliminate the federal deficit and will do so by in fact preserving pension payments to Canadian seniors. At the same time, we have made changes that are coming into effect in 2023, which will ensure the sustainability of the program for many generations to come. That is why Canadian seniors and Canadians of all ages continue to strongly support this government.

Foreign Investment

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, so he agrees with the attack on CARP.

At last night's meeting of the finance committee, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce called on Conservatives to lay out clear criteria for evaluating foreign takeovers. It agreed with New Democrats that uncertainty created by the Conservative government had triggered massive losses for investors and for pension funds.

Are the Conservatives finally going to establish clear criteria for foreign takeovers, or is the Calgary Chamber of Commerce the next group they will attack as a partisan hotbed of NDP sympathizers?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, if the member thinks the NDP is being supported by the Calgary business community, he is going into waves of delusion.

There are a number of foreign investments that are subject to a review by the Minister of Industry. I know he is considering all of the complexities and all of the considerations of those decisions. He will be making his decisions of the government's direction on these matters very clear in due course.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the rejection of the proposed takeover of Progress Energy by Petronas showed that the Conservatives are making things up as they go along. Up next is the proposed takeover of Nexen by, essentially, the Chinese government.

We do not know why the Conservatives rejected the offer from Petronas and we do not know what criteria they will use to make a decision on the Nexen deal. We need clear criteria that are public and that are not just vague ideas in the mind of the Minister of Industry.

Our natural resources are at stake here. Canadians deserve clear answers. When will we get them?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry still needs to make those decisions.

We recognize that foreign investment can create jobs and can promote long-term prosperity for Canadians. We must carefully ensure that these transactions have a net benefit for the Canadian economy.

That is what the government will do.

National Defence

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, here is something new: a letter from the Conservative Prime Minister to the Minister of National Defence demanding the military be cut. This letter talks about reducing military and civilian personnel at National Defence and has the Prime Minister openly scolding the Minister of National Defence for his inadequacy.

Will the minister heed the Prime Minister's request and implement cuts that could result in fewer regular force personnel?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, what I can tell the hon. member is something he already knows, and that is the Canadian Forces budget has grown substantially each and every year since our government took office. We have invested in equipment. We have invested in our bases, our infrastructure. We have invested in the size of the force, that is we have grown both the regular and the reserve force.

What we do know is that six years after a Conservative government, the Canadian Forces are better equipped, better manned, better ready to take on the challenges of the 21st century and better womaned too.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, it is the Prime Minister who wants to cut defence spending, both military and civilian. He said in his letter “here can be no expectation that the defence budget will grow in the next few years”. Conservatives have previously promised 2% annual increases in the National Defence budget and now they have broken their word to the Canadian Forces.

Could the Prime Minister explain why he has lost confidence in the Minister of National Defence carrying out his duties?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague, as I just did, that we have seen the Canadian Forces grow substantially under this government. We have made key acquisitions. We have committed to the care of the ill and injured. We have invested across the country in our infrastructure to meet the needs of the men and women in uniform, where they work, where they train, where they live.

What I do know is a fact, and the member cannot deny it, and that is that he and his party have denied these investments over the last six years and continue to deny them. If the member is changing his position and wanting more support for the Canadian Forces, that is a welcome change.

Foreign Investment

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, for at least two years Liberals and others have been raising the issue of reciprocity when foreign entities try to buy out or take over Canadian resource companies. If foreigners want to own something here, can Canadians equally do the same there? Very recently the Prime Minister has talked about reciprocity too.

As the government wrestles with the Petronas and CNOOC issues, what is the government's working definition of reciprocity? Is it, for example, access in China for Canadian financial institutions? What will Canada get in return?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this is a fascinating question coming from a party under whose administration Canada had virtually no growth in its trade and investment in China, but Chinese trade and investment just increased here by leaps and bounds. Of course—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The right hon. Prime Minister has the floor.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we have now started to see positive growth in this relationship on our side as well, including the completion of a foreign investment protection and promotion agreement that Canadian investors have welcomed. Canadians are finally glad to have a Conservative government governing this relationship.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, given the vast impact of the natural resources sector on our entire economy, corporate governance in that sector is a crucial consideration.

When a Canadian company is bought out, who will sit in the boardroom subsequently directing what that company does? Will any new ownership be fully subject to all Canadian securities laws? Will the government insist on Canadians being added to the board of directors of the buying firm and a majority of Canadians remaining on the board of the firm being bought?